A total of 408 apartments were constructed and the final properties were completed in 2015, and all of them were equipped with Polybutene-1 Underfloor Heating by JG Speedfit.
PG Bones, the principle plumbing and heating contractor of Crest Nicholson, appointed JG Speedfit to supply the PB-1 plumbing components needed and assist with the installation of the UFH systems in each of the 408 properties.
Toby Howard-Willis, JG Speedfit’s Technical Engineer, said – “We have an excellent and long standing relationship with PG Bones, working on a significant number of projects over the past 15 years, but the concept of underfloor heating is more sophisticated than a standard plumbing procedure and was certainly one of the elements that required significant attention to detail.”
Kaleidoscope is in excess of 50 different house types, which cover a wide range of occupancy from penthouses to social housing, 1 & 2 bedroom apartments, as well as glass walled living areas – all factors which significantly influence the performance of an underfloor heating system. The number of variables to be considered meant PG Bones required detailed and accurate designs to be produced and that is exactly where JG Speedfit’s expertise was most valuable.
Toby continued – “The assistance with which the JG Speedfit Design Team & Technical Support Engineers provided PG Bones aimed to support the continued success of the Kaleidoscope Project. While there was inevitably some repetition involved, there were always slight eccentricities within each property, which required a rather individual approach. The UFH design team had to assist with specific technical requirements, often altering CAD drawings and returning them in hours, while our Technical Engineers were onsite throughout the entire project.”
Steve Bones, director of PG Bones Plumbing & Heating, commented – “With the knowledge and expertise from JG Speedfit’s team, we are proud to be a key contractor on this award winning development. JG Speedfit’s UFH CAD team backed with our in depth knowledge of their products and fully trained workforce has led to a seamless design, installation and utmost homeowner experience. Our working relationship with JG Speedfit is mutually beneficial – as all good relationships should be.”
JG Speedfit also provided PG Bones with the Speedfit Installer Training Program – a complementary service available to any new plumbing professional, which aims to train them to a competent standard. The program covers a number of key elements such as Project Design, Components, Installation, Best Practice & Commissioning. Once the training has covered all necessary aspects and the installation has been supervised by the attending JG Speedfit Technical Engineer, the new installer is able to complete the Handover Pack, which the Developer retains as evidence of the quality of installation.
Crest Nicholson have a number of other projects throughout East Anglia where the JG Speedfit system is being used, such as Rosewood in Colchester and Kings Warren in Redlodge. Crest Nicholson are already planning the next development in Cambridge and the JG Speedfit Team are looking forward to the opportunities and challenges ahead.
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Polybutene-1 is often referred to as Polybutene, Polybutylene, PB-1 or PB.
Polybutene-1 is not sold by PBPSA members for use in pipe applications intended for use in North America, and those parties require their customers or distributors not to sell products made from PB-1 into pipe applications for North America.